With the expansion of global trade and computerization, plain language descriptions of products and services need to be replaced by identification systems that are usable in all trade and industry sectors world-wide.
Barcode system has been developed to meet this need by providing solutions that guarantees unique and unambiguous identification. Manufacturers, exporters, importers, hospitals, wholesalers, retailers, etc. can use the system to communicate information regarding the goods or services they trade.
These unique identification numbers can be represented by bar code symbols. This enables inexpensive and accurate data capture thus providing the required information at all points of the supply chain.
One of the main concepts of this system is that any item (product or service) upon which there is a need to retrieve pre-defined information and that may be priced or ordered or invoiced at any point in any supply chain can be allocated a unique identification number - the Global Trade Item Number, or GTIN for short.
A barcode is an optical machine-readable representation of data, which shows data about the object to which it attaches. Originally, barcodes represented data by varying the widths and spacing of parallel lines, and may be referred to as linear or 1 dimensional (1D). Later they evolved into rectangles, dots, hexagons and other geometric patterns in 2 dimensions (2D). Although 2D systems use a variety of symbols, they are generally referred to as barcodes as well. Barcodes originally were scanned by special– optical scanners called barcode readers, scanners and interpretive software are available on devices including desktop printers and smart phones.
Why Barcode?
In point-of-sale management, barcode systems can provide detailed up-to-date information on the business, accelerating decisions and with more confidence. For example:
• Fast-selling items can be identified quickly and automatically reordered.
• Slow-selling items can be identified, preventing inventory build-up.
• The effects of merchandising changes can be monitored, allowing fast-moving, more profitable items to occupy the best space.
• Historical data can be used to predict seasonal fluctuations very accurately.
• Items may be re-priced on the shelf to reflect both sale prices and price increases.
• This technology also enables the profiling of individual consumers, typically through a voluntary registration of discount cards. While pitched as a benefit to the consumer, this practice is considered to be potentially dangerous by privacy advocates.
• Besides sales and inventory tracking, barcodes are very useful in logistics.
• When a manufacturer packs a box for shipment, a Unique Identifying Number (UID) can be assigned to the box.
• A database can link the UID to relevant information about the box; such as order number, items packed, quantity packed, destination, etc.
• The information can be transmitted through a communication system such as Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) so the retailer has the information about a shipment before it arrives.
Shipments that are sent to a Distribution Center (DC) are tracked before forwarding. When the shipment reaches its final destination, the UID gets scanned, so the store knows the shipment's source, contents, and cost.
NOTE :
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